What Is the Russian Twist? Technique, Benefits and More

The Russian twist is a simple, efficient and effective exercise to target the muscles that are generally not used in most core exercises - the obliques. These are long muscles that run down the sides of your body and are responsible for helping your torso turn to the sides.

The Russian twist also helps you build your core and shoulders. It’s extremely popular with athletes, as it helps with rotational movement, which is often required in many sports.

Though the movement may seem simple, it requires a lot of core strength and support.

Russian Twist: Technique and Correct Form

Here's how you can perform a traditional Russian Twist in the correct form to obtain the maximum benefit and lessen the chances of injury.

When performed correctly, Russian twists improve posture and strengthens core. (Image via Pexels/ Pixabay))

Start by sitting down on the floor or on a mat, keeping your feet extended in front of you in a straight line, on the ground.
Your heels should be touching the floor, with your toes pointing skywards. You can squeeze your glutes for stability.
Lean back 45 degrees, keeping your spine straight as you lift your legs straight off the floor, bending them slightly at the knees. Your back should form a right angle, with your torso relative to your thigh.
Raise your arms out in front of you, and clasp them together, interlocking your fingers. Look at your hands, and keep your gaze trained there throughout the exercise.
Use your abdominal muscles to rotate your torso - first from the centre to the right and then back again to the centre.
Rotate to the left in your next movement. You may pause for a beat in the centre position between each rep.
Keep your gaze focused on your hands, and move slowly. You need to move within your range of motion; if your hips and knees begin to shift, you've gone too far.
Continue for one minute or three sets of 8-16 reps.

Tips for Beginners

Follow these tips to prevent any injuries while attempting the Russian Twist:

Beginners should keep their feet pressed into the floor before progressing to advanced versions.
Focus on breathing steadily. Exhale when you rotate, and inhale when you return to the centre.
Engage your abdominal and back muscles during the exercise.
Maintain a straight spine, and keep your gaze focused on your hands.

Benefits of Russian Twist

Russian twists can help strengthen your core, spine and obliques. Listed below are the benefits of this exercise:

1) Strengthens the Core

Even holding your body in the starting position for the Russian twist takes a lot of core strength. Beginners can modify the exercise and place their feet on the floor before progressing to the floating legs position.

2) Leg Workout

This exercise also works out your legs and hips along with your obliques.

3) Transverse plane exercise

Russian twist add variety to your movement forms in your workout regimen. Most exercises require frontal (side-to-side) or sagittal (forwards and backwards) movement.

Russian twists help in getting chiseled abs. (Image via Pexels/ Scott webb)

Russian twists, though, provide good movement along the less common transverse plane.

4) Balance

Russian Twist helps improve your balance, build stability in your spine and trim your midsection. It also helps achieve good posture.

5) Multiple muscles targeted

The muscles targeted in this exercise are obliques, rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, hip flexors, scapular muscles, latissimus dorsi and erector spinae.

Variations of Russian Twist

Try out these variations for an advanced workout:

1) Weighted Twist

Assume the same posture as in the basic Russian Twist. Hold a dumbbell, weight plate or medicine ball between your hands.

Twist the same way as in the original exercise, touching the weight down on each side.

For a variation, try the Weighted Russian Twist or Leg Cross Twist (Image from Flickr @Cadence Performance)

2) Leg Cross Twists

Assume the same posture as in the basic Russian Twist, and keep your hands crossed over your chest. As you twist to the right, keep your right calf crossed over your left.

Uncross your legs as you twist back to the centre. Now cross your left calf over your right as you rotate towards the left.

Common Mistakes

Some common mistakes that can happen while performing the Russian Twist are given below.

1) Your spine needs to be straight: Keep your entire torso raised upwards from your waist, and ensure that it is extended long. That will help you engage your obliques and avoid any spine injury.

2) If you are a beginner, start by keeping your feet positioned on the ground instead of in the air.

Many people start floating their feet early on, as they are told that it offers maximum burn. Although that's true, it will not help if you are not able to maintain a steady posture while doing the exercise.

Starting off with your feet on the ground will allow your body to gain traction from the exercise and learn how to get through the movement.

3) Reach your arms as much as possible to create a longer lever, allowing your core to work more to rotate. That will also help protect your lower back.

4) Keep your gaze focused on your hands. That will allow your shoulders to rotate as far as possible in both directions. By following your hands, your upper body will also rotate more.

Edited by Bhargav